mrbrown.com

A day in Paris

This is the five-port 10.6A USB charger I use when I travel. It saves me from a lot of headaches when the hotel room has only ONE power point. But thankfully the hotel we were staying in in Paris had more power points.

We didn't stay in Paris for long, just one night. We drove off to Caen after one day here. We will be back after we finish our road trip. It's our final leg.

We had to rent two 7-seater MPVs to carry 11 of us and or luggage. Thankfully they came with GPS built in so we didn't need to pay for that. We did add an €11-a-day Hertz mifi router with unlimited 4G internet, one for each car. That way we all had Internet and could Whatsapp group chat between the cars.

We did manage to make it to the Eiffel Tower on our first night here though. The wife and I just had to do a default lovey couple photo in front of the Eiffel.

Our gang saw the queue and didn't bother going up. We just enjoyed the view from below. So pretty, the Eiffel Tower is at night.

Packing for the family for 15 days in France in winter

This is our packing for a 15-Day trip to France with my brood. It is winter there so we are packing more warm clothing for the kids and the wife (we are Equator dwellers, so our bodies aren't as acclimatized to cold weather).

Still, I am rather pleased with how efficiently we managed to pack.

My clothes are in the Aeronaut 30 (weight: 6kg, about 13 lbs). This includes all the jackets and sweater consisting of Icebreaker merino wool stuff, Uniqlo down jacket and a Columbia softshell.

My camera gear and iPad Air are in the Co-Pilot. I am debating whether to take the Night Flight Travel Duffel instead. It has double the capacity of the Co-Pilot but the latter is more compact.

My two younger ones age 9 and 11 carrying the Synapse 19 backpacks. The Synapse 19s contain their winter wear and one set of spare clothes. About 2.5kg (5.5lbs). I reckoned they should be able to handle that load. Their school bags are already more than double that weight (weight is a problem with SIngapore school bags, kids carry way too much). The key is to ensure that they have something to wear the moment we touch down. So even we lose our one checked luggage, or it is delayed, they still have a set of clothes and all their winter wear.

Faith isn't going on this trip, and is staying home with my mom. Her sensory issues don't deal with 13-hour flights very well. But Mom is taking her to Malaysia for a 4-day road trip with our helper. So she will have a ball.

I gave the missus the Dyneema Aeronaut 45, the bag on the far right. She has most of her clothes in there. About 6kg (13lbs) too. The bag is like a cave, swallowing all her belongings. This carry-on legal bag can be carried by the handle, by slinging or by the hidden backpack straps. The wife carried it backpack-style to leave her hands free to handle the kids.

We have one checked luggage. The mid-sized suitcase is carrying the balance of the kids' clothes, some toiletries and cosmetics that belong to the wife that won't pass the TSA 3-1-1 test (one does not argue with the wife about her toiletries and makeup) and the wife's high boots.

I tried suggesting that the wife wear the boots on the plane but she wanted to wear something lighter. Again, one does not question the wife when it comes to what fashion is needed on a trip. Hey, it's Paris, she wants her boots, she gets to pack it.

Not too bad for a family trip for half a month. We used to pack at least three suitcases for something like this.

And you don't realize how OCD you are until you are responsible for packing not just your own stuff but for the family. Color-coordinated packing cubes anyone?

I made a pre-trip run to NTUC Fairprice before we left. One must always have the right meds and other random stuff like Travel Wash and wet tissues. I usually use Dr Bronner's liquid soap for my own travel washing but I thought this time, I'd try the Dylon one for the family.

It is the first time the kids are on such long flight (13 hours!) and going to somewhere this cold. They asked me if the movies on the plane are free and if the meals are free too. They are used to budget flights where everything is extra. I explained to them that the stuff on this flight isn't "free" per se, just included in the price.

the mrbrown show: beyond the comet landing

Comet landing? Singapore aims higher!

Download or listen via the Soundcloud player above or the mrbrown server below:

Play "the mrbrown show: beyond the comet landing"

the mrbrown show: Under Happy (music video)

YouTube link: http://mrbrwn.co/116j5Vz

The music video of our Under Happy song. We know it isn't very pro because we shot thing on a whim and with an iPhone 6 Plus. Don't be Unhappy with us, ok? At most, be Under Happy.

the mrbrown show: Under Happy

A National Workplace Happiness Survey says that Singapore's overall workplace happiness falls into the band "Under Happy", between "Unhappy" and "Happy". So we thought of Pharrell's song. And shot the whole thing on an iPhone 6 Plus.

Download or listen via the Soundcloud player above or the mrbrown server below:

Play "the mrbrown show: Under Happy"

Under Happy is the new Sian Half

I read in the news that in a National Workplace Happiness Survey, Singapore's overall workplace happiness index is 59, which falls into the band "Under Happy", between "Unhappy" & "Happy".

This made me Over Sad, so I went on Twitter to start the #UnderHappy hashtag.

1. @mrbrown: Bak Chor Mee came with one less meatball. #UnderHappy

2. @kuekj: Bak Chor Mee, no ter kwa! #UnderHappy

3. @mrbrown: Boss just bought a Lamborghini after announcing this year no bonus. #UnderHappy

4. @mrbrown: "Realistic and correct salaries" for "morally upright" ministers. #UnderHappy

5. @frhn: Managed to board SMRT. Personal space violated and guy beside me has bad breath. #UnderHappy

6. @polarpaws_: Finding the last clean and dry pair of underwear when out on field camp. #UnderHappy #UnderWearHappy

7. @vinyarb: Thirsty, but Dao Huey Zui too hot. #UnderHappy

8. @mrbrown: On the ball during BMT to go to OCS, kena SAFINCOS. (Ok, it's called SISPEC now. I am old. Update: I am told it is now SCS.) #UnderHappy

9. @shunoski: My ban mian never put anchovies. #UnderHappy

10. @mrbrown: Just bought an iPad Mini with Retina Display. iPad Mini 3 with Touch ID announced. #UnderHappy

11. @mrbrown: Whipped cream on my Frappacino when I told them no whip. #UnderHappy

12. @mrbrown: Barista spelled my name wrong on my latte. #UnderHappy

13. @rasuanta: Barista spelled my name correctly on my frappe. Cannot instagram. #UnderHappy

14. @weilien: Finding the last available stall in a public bathroom, but it's a squat toilet. #UnderHappy

15. @mrbrown: Paid 10 cents to enter a public toilet. Toilet looks like shit. #UnderHappy

16. @mrbrown: Wife ate the food before you could Instagram it. #UnderHappy

17. @mrbrown: The ice in your Teh Si Peng melted before the drink became cold. #UnderHappy

18. @ErvinHan: Normal is too sweet. Siu Dai is not sweet enough. #UnderHappy

19. @marcdnair: Tapao food, forget to take spoon. #UnderHappy

20. @brianistic: Boss say leave cannot bring forward next year and no cash out, must clear by this year #UnderHappy

21. @marcdnair: Receive camera as birthday present, but win the same model last week in office lucky draw. #UnderHappy

22. @marcdnair: Got cash voucher, but only valid in one ulu outlet. #UnderHappy

23. @nyithetnyi: If Pharrell had grown up in Singapore. #UnderHappy

24. @mr_wilson95: Not all pieces of chicken on my roast chicken rice had the skin on them. #UnderHappy

25. @mrbrown: The vending machine still doesn't accept the new Singapore coins. And that's all you have. #UnderHappy

26. @mrbrown: Ordered Teh Si Siu Siu Dai, kopitiam auntie made it Siu Dai. #UnderHappy

27. @furryphotos: Leave house, phone at 50%, no power bank #UnderHappy

28. @mrbrown: Brought Powerbank for iPhone. Didn't bring Lightning cable. #UnderHappy

29. @ErvinHan: Tons of 'Likes' on Carousell but no offer. #UnderHappy

30. @mrbrown: Friend spams Carousell posts on your Facebook Feed. #UnderHappy

31. @mrbrown: The state of the S-League. #UnderHappy

32. @furryphotos: Made #UnderHappy joke but @mrbrown already did it earlier.

33. @mrbrown: Harass and scam customers, then online parody site posts your cringeworthy shirtless photos on Facebook. #UnderHappy

34. @mrbrown: Bus app says "3 MIN" but bus already "ARR". #UnderHappy

35. @DanielFoodDiary: 2nd in line. Person in front tabao 2 dozen packets #UnderHappy

36. @MrFoxxie: Want to change fries to onion rings at BK, no more onion rings. #UnderHappy

37. @syuk_cookie: After a 12 hours night shift,need to attend another 3 hours 'work life balance' course #UnderHappy

38. @MothershipSG: Ask real Indian foreign workers act #underhappy at fake riot. #UnderHappy

39. @marcdnair: First in class but report card says got room for improvement. #UnderHappy

40. @weilien: Someone praises you in the comments on Instagram but, for some reason, doesn't "Like" your picture. #UnderHappy

41. @amirulhsbm: Want to think of #UnderHappy jokes but can't think of any. #UnderHappy

42. #UnderHappy is the new #Sianhalf

43. @mrbrown: Ordered Mee Kia. Gave me Mee Pok. #UnderHappy

44. @mrbrown: No one understood your hipster-ironic t-shirt. #UnderHappy

45. @mrbrown: #UnderHappy is the Singaporean employee's Whatever.

mrbrown's See What Show: Meet the team behind Disney's Big Hero 6

YouTube link: http://mrbrwn.co/1xlMBCr

I meet Producer Roy Conli, Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams in Tokyo, and ask them about Big Hero 6. And I also find out what they think about our national airline.

Watch the trailer here: http://youtu.be/p5oiw1Zn_Xo

Singapore can die but cannot sick

I do not know when a visit to the neighborhood GP went from an average of $28 to what is now $52. Don't fall sick in Singapore. Can die one.

What went up for doctors? Rent? Staff salaries? Cost of antibiotics?

mrbrown's See What Show: At the Tokyo International Film Festival 2014 Red Carpet

YouTube link: http://youtu.be/8lYRxA6RhjA

I was at the red carpet of the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival, and caught a glimpse of many stars, including Arashi, Festival Muse Miki Nakatani and the team from Disney's Big Hero 6.

Watch out for my interview with the Big Hero 6 team, coming soon!

the mrbrown show: case by case

Buyer beware, when you shop in Singapore's IT paradise!

Download or listen via the Soundcloud player above or the mrbrown server below:

Play "the mrbrown show: case by case"

Don't know who is sorry

Ok, I am sorry that you caused me inconvenience.

[via my friend Jason]

In Singapore, consumer protection is a joke

18 complaints against this Sim Lim Square shop and nothing is done.

This Sim Lim Square case shows you that the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) is still a useless and toothless organization that can't even deal with the random chow Ah Beng.

Now that is a photobomb

This is Kim Jong-Un on some PR visit to an orphanage. Some brave soul decided to add a little photobomb into the scene. You would miss it if someone didn't point it out to you.

[via http://mrbrwn.co/1piUTem]

Orphan Black: Korea Edition

At first glance, the new contestants for the 2014 Miss Korea competition look eerily like clones.

It reminds me of this gif made of 2013's contestants.

On further investigation, it seems the guilty party was a heavy-handed photoshop artist.

You can see the rest of the After and Before photos at this link.

Who hired sotong commentators for the WTA Finals in Singapore?

Firstly congratulations to Serena Williams for winning the finals in Singapore.

Secondly, where did they find the geographically-challenged commentators for the WTA Finals?

I think some of us were gobsmacked when we heard WTA Finals commentator say "Goodbye! From China!"

Oi! Singapore where got is part of China? China your head lah!

And then friends and readers heard a commentator say that 50% of our population speak Mandarin as the main language, with English as our second language. Simisai?

Then yet another commentator said that this is the first time Singapore has had live telecasts of major tennis tournaments.

What The Finals, man.

Update: The commentator Kevin Skinner, has apologized for the China remark.

Hello 東京, once again

This is the scene that greeted me when I landed in Narita after a redeye flight from Singapore. Rain, gray skies and cold weather. The only thing that cheered me up was the sign that said "Free wifi in Narita".

The SQ flight itself to Tokyo was great. New entertainment system and the usual great service. I had a whole row of seats to myself too. I watched A Million Ways to Die in the West by Seth MacFarlane, and found a million ways to die of boredom from that movie.

After picking up my rental portable internet router from the airport post office, I donned my down jacket and rain jacket and waited for my 90-minute ride to town. "17°C" said the clock outside. Thank goodness I packed the merino wool stuff.

My hotel in Shinjuku (which shall remain unnamed) didn't have any rooms ready for my early check-in. "After 2pm," they said firmly, even though my booking indicated an early check-in. Ah well, I didn't have much luggage anyway (one small backpack for my clothes and one small satchel for my gear) so I was free to wonder around town.

My personal radar led me to Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku where I did some browsing. I swear I didn't buy a thing. Then a quick lunch (where I saw the above menu item), some more walking, and a coffee with a slice of cheesecake later, I was back at the hotel at 1.59pm to check in.

"After 2pm, please," was the reply.

And so at 2.01pm, myself and the lobby of eating guests surged forward to check-in. The room, I have to say, was small. I felt like Gandalf visiting the Hobbits in their home. Heck, the Hobbits would have found the place claustrophobic.

But a room is a room. I took my shower in a Hobbit-sized half-bathtub in the Hobbit-sized bathroom (I didn't even know they made bath tubs this size) and tried not to knock into anything.

One of my readers who lives here told me the rain was going to last all day. At first I wore my rain jacket but eventually I caved in and bought a ¥513 transparent umbrella for Ryan and me, from the Pharmacy-That-Sells-Everything.

Supper was the nicest meal of the day. Good old ramen from 博多風龍 at Shinjuku area. You can add extra ramen for free.

The guy next to us refilled his bowl three times. Really ate until he got his money's worth.

Oh, and the rain that was going on all day? It stopped soon after we bought our umbrellas. It's all a conspiracy, I tell you.

See What Show: Fury

Fury was a fierce WWII movie. Epic tank battles, killing Nazis, gritty underdogs what's not to like?

The middle was a bit draggy though. The movie is no Inglourious Basterds, even both movies have Brad Pitt in it. Fury takes itself very seriously and sometimes, that drags the pace down.

We get it. War is terrible. People die. Body parts have to be cleaned off the inside of tanks.

When Fury gets to the fighting parts, it is clobbering time. And even it's even more entertaining when you know that the Americans are using peashooter M4A3E8 Sherman tanks against vastly superior German Tiger tanks.

What the Shermans lacked in armor and firepower, it made up for in numbers and reliability. And the ability to travel in water. Shermans were the Zergs to the Tigers who were the over-engineered Protoss.

But the German tanks were truly fearsome beasts and a single Tiger could obliterate several Shermans by itself.

Sherman tanks couldn't penetrate their armor without hitting them from the sides or behind, and in one scene, the movie captures this fight brilliantly.

Watching this makes me want to build model tanks again. And maybe play a WWII game. Maybe Battlefield 1942.

[Photos courtesy of Shaw]

No train service between Marina Bay and Marina Bay?

At first, we thought it was MarinaBayception.

Actually it was guagua-ception.

Somebody going to sign many many extra liao

"GENNERMEN! THE TRAINING MATADOR ANTI-TANK MISSILE LAUNCHER GO WHERE LIAO?"

"Siao liao, Sergeant, I left it at the roadside near Old Chua Kang Rd…"

"YOU LIKE TO GO DB, ISSIT? YOU WANT TO SELL IT AT BEACH ROAD ARMY MARKET ISSIT? GO AND GET IT BACK, YOU CHOW KOTEK!"


TODAY report: http://mrbrwn.co/1wMgCcV

[photo via VoteWisely/HardwareZone]

This just begs to be photoshopped into everyone's favorite army photo…

[photoshopped photo via Jashorn]

By the River Vltava: a Photo Essay

Walking the bridges and river of Prague: brown.exposure.co

Click on the link above or view via the embedded version below.

By the River Vltava by Kinmun "mrbrown" Lee on Exposure